Last year, I shared a list of fun books to give as gifts and I thought it would be fun to do so again. I hope there is something for everyone on this list and as usual, I am linking to Amazon and these are affiliate links, so if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.
Recipe for Disaster: 40 Superstar Stories of Sustenance and Survival by Alison Riley
Recipe for Disaster is a collection of stories and recipes—from a veritable who’s who from the worlds of food, music, art, literature, activism, fashion, and pop culture—about finding comfort in food, surviving the unthinkable, and living to tell about both.
Discover how getting dumped led to author Samantha Irby’s Rejection Chicken. Comedian Sarah Silverman tells of the power of the humble Pinwheel cookie that got her through bouts of crippling childhood depression. Culinary legend Alice Waters reflects on how a perfectly dressed salad has carried her and her chosen family through loneliness and uncertainty. Here are forty recipes—some traditional, some unconventional—that commemorate the low points with the same culinary conviction with which we celebrate the highs. Part cookbook, part candid confessions, this book of good food for bad times reminds us that even the worst of days yield something worth sharing.
INTERSECTIONAL FEAST OF PERSPECTIVES: This book of tales of truly comforting food features a highly diverse, all-star who’s who from the worlds of music, food, art, literature, performance, activism, and pop culture.
ALL-STAR CONTRIBUTORS: Storytellers include Samantha Irby, Alice Waters, Bowen Yang, Michael W. Twitty, Cey Adams, Chelsea Peretti, Simon Doonan, Meshell Ndegeocello, Brian Lehrer, Gabrielle Hamilton, Becca Blackwell, Jacqueline Woodson, Sarah Silverman, Raul Lopez, Thundercat, and many more.
UNIQUE AND ENGAGING: Featuring funny, heartbreaking, bittersweet, but always relatable essays and interviews that inspire recognition and laughter, accompanied by inspirational (and sometimes unconventional) recipes, with evocative photography that upends traditional cookbook styles.
HUMOR IS HEALING: This book reminds us of the value of our experiences, good and bad, and their capacity to bring levity and purpose to the moments we need them most. Recipe for Disaster was conceived through the deeply held belief that there is humor, liberation, and universal truth to be found through the exchange of these stories.
Perfect for: Arts and pop-culture aficionados, Foodies and followers of celebrity chefs, Quirky/gorgeous gift for birthday, anniversary, holiday, or any special occasion that celebrates life, love, and the power of food, A unique resource for home cooks and browsable keepsake for readers seeking diverse, funny, and inspiring books, Readers of Humans of New York: Stories, Cherry Bombe, Anthony Bourdain, and every juicy celebrity tell-all they can get their hands on.
Seen, Loved, and Heard: A Guided Journal for Feeding The Soul by Tabitha Brown
A beautiful and inspirational full-color journal from Tabitha Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business)
In her beloved book Feeding the Soul, Tabitha Brown made readers feel seen, loved, and heard, sharing the knowledge she’s gained from her own journey in life. Now, in this gorgeous keepsake journal, Tab invites readers to think more deeply about their own life paths, and how to live in more love and happiness. Readers will be drawn in to write on each creatively illustrated, uplifting page, with:
Dozens of thought-provoking writing prompts in Tabitha’s encouraging voice, Charming and colorful illustrations, Motivational and inspirational “Tabisms”, Space for readers to write in their own stories, hopes, and dreams–and make the journal their own!
This soul-healing journal encourages readers to take some time to reflect on their own sources of joy and hope, spirituality, self-image, and peace, and to look back on when they want to appreciate how far they’ve come and what insights they’ve gained in their own journeys.
Time For Me: Self-Care and Simple Pleasures for Women Who Do To Much by Helene Lerner
In TIME FOR ME, author Helene Lerner offers women trying to do it all, four Power Keys so that they can enjoy a more joyful and balanced life. For women who are out in the trenches every day trying to do too much, this book offers simple pleasures to nourish your spirit and simple solutions to find time for yourself. Summon the courage to do things differently. It’s your life and it only happens once, why not make it a great one?
Women are notorious for taking care of everyone else first, exhausting themselves and losing their spark in the process. Time for Me is for any woman who feels stretched too thin, burnt out, or ready to find a better work-life balance. Helene helps women figure out if they’re doing too much, asking readers to reflect and journal on different scenarios in their life, such as:
You get up in the morning and no matter how much sleep you’ve had, you’re still tired, You look in the mirror and your eyes seem dull and without sparkle., You get ready to go to work and your routine seems mechanical. You feel as if you could do your tasks blindfolded, Although you like your job and consider yourself powerful, you lack the enthusiasm you once had.
Then she provides four power keys for what she calls the Time for Me Program, an easy plan to help women nourish their spirit and find contentment in their lives.
I Could Nosh: Classic Jew-Ish Recipes Revamped for Every Day by Jake Cohen
The much-anticipated new cookbook from the author of the beloved New York Times bestseller Jew-ish, Jake Cohen, a fun and inspiring collection of recipes melding traditional Jewish flavors and modern influences.
nosh /näSH/
verb: eat food enthusiastically or greedily; eat between meals.
“Here bubuleh, I made you a tuna sandwich to nosh on while I get closer to death without any grandchildren.”
For New York Times bestselling author/food world darling Jake Cohen, noshing isn’t just a habit, it’s a lifestyle. Noshing is about hospitality, after all, whether that means keeping your fridge stocked with turkey club ingredients for the perfect midnight snack, or stashing a Big A** Lasagna or Braised Brisket in the freezer in case friends show up hungry and unannounced.
In the follow-up to his beloved bestseller Jew-ish, I Could Nosh brings Jake’s signature modern flair to traditional Jewish recipes that are soon to become everyday favorites and new holiday traditions. With this cookbook, readers can nosh morning, noon, and night, with creative, must-cook recipes, including:
- Jake’s famous Challah recipe, now with new variations like Chall-zones, Pletzel, Monkey Bread, Babka, and Sufganiyot (jelly donuts)
- A whole chapter dedicated to Schmears to up your bagel game, including Hot Honey Schmear, Preserved Lemon and Harissa Schmear, and Za’atar-Tahini Schmear
- Latke Tartines with sweet and savory options
- Everything Bagel Panzanella
- Pomegranate-Glazed Lamb Meatballs with Herby Israeli Couscous
- Jewish Penicillin, aka chicken soup, plus recipes for Kreplach, Bondi, or Fluffy Matzo Balls
- Soupless Chicken Soup
- Kugel Fries—like kugel, only fried
- Tzimmes Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Crispy Persian Rice Treats
I Could Nosh is the natural next step for Jake—it traces his journey towards a deeper understanding of his Jewish identity, and gives readers even more reinvented classics that they can cook any day of the week—whether that’s a quick, weeknight meal, or an over-the-top spread for entertaining. With a whole lot of creativity, and a dash of chutzpah, this collection is a must-have for food lovers everywhere, whether they’re Jewish, Jew-ish, or not Jewish at all.
The Don’t Panic Pantry Cookbook: Mostly Vegetarian Comfort Food That Happens To Be Pretty Good For You by Noah Galuten
This is the cookbook that seeks to answer the eternal question: “What am I supposed to eat?” Here the chef and writer Noah Galuten, host of the charmingly self-deprecating YouTube series “Don’t Panic Pantry,” serves up convenient, healthily delicious, mostly vegetarian comfort food, teaching you how to prepare meals and snacks you’re genuinely excited to eat. With a Foreword by Iliza Shlesinger.
“Buy [Galuten’s] terrific The Don’t Panic Pantry Cookbook and your kitchen skills will jump off the plate.” —Chef Nancy Silverton, author of The Mozza Cookbook and Chi Spacca
As the world changes around us, we are constantly vacillating between two different versions of ourselves: the one who wants to be healthier and the one who wants to be excited, or comforted, by the food that we eat. We all want to eat “better,” but what does that mean? This book is here to say: Don’t panic.
Don’t panic about learning how to cook; or environmental sustainability; or nutrition. Don’t panic about what to make for breakfast or dinner or midnight snacks, because Noah Galuten has your back! In Noah’s kitchen, trying really matters, perfection is overrated, and better is good enough. Noah gives you the tools to create kitchen staples and vegetable-and-bean-centric dishes (with just a little meat too) that will become the beloved, simple, everyday meals you will make over and over in your home.
Includes recipes for:
“Chef Salad” with Cheddar Croutons and Probiotic Ranch, Three different versions of broccoli pasta (vegetarian, pescatarian or with rosemary-infused sausage), Noah’s Instagram-famous Krauty Beans, 30-second Vegan Tahini Dressing that will become your new favorite dip, Miso Roast Chicken with Vegetables that you can prep in advance and leave in the fridge for several hours, or even a day, The fresh herbed panko-crusted Mozzarella Marinara that made Galuten’s famously funny wife, comedian Iliza Shlesinger, break down in grateful tears.
Here are your pantry staples for the future, to help you make cooking at home the tastier, more convenient, don’t panic option.
Project 562: Changing The Way We See Native America by Matika Wilbur
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A photographic and narrative celebration of contemporary Native American life and cultures, alongside an in-depth examination of issues that Native people face, by celebrated photographer and storyteller Matika Wilbur of the Swinomish and Tulalip Tribes.
“This book is too important to miss. It is a vast, sprawling look at who we are as Indigenous people in these United States.”—Tommy Orange (Cheyenne and Arapaho), author of There There
Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal
In 2012, Matika Wilbur sold everything in her Seattle apartment and set out on a Kickstarter-funded pursuit to visit, engage, and photograph people from what were then the 562 federally recognized Native American Tribal Nations. Over the next decade, she traveled six hundred thousand miles across fifty states—from Seminole country (now known as the Everglades) to Inuit territory (now known as the Bering Sea)—to meet, interview, and photograph hundreds of Indigenous people. The body of work Wilbur created serves to counteract the one-dimensional and archaic stereotypes of Native people in mainstream media and offers justice to the richness, diversity, and lived experiences of Indian Country.
The culmination of this decade-long art and storytelling endeavor, Project 562 is a peerless, sweeping, and moving love letter to Indigenous Americans, containing hundreds of stunning portraits and compelling personal narratives of contemporary Native people—all photographed in clothing, poses, and locations of their choosing. Their narratives touch on personal and cultural identity as well as issues of media representation, sovereignty, faith, family, the protection of sacred sites, subsistence living, traditional knowledge-keeping, land stewardship, language preservation, advocacy, education, the arts, and more.
A vital contribution from an incomparable artist, Project 562 inspires, educates, and truly changes the way we see Native America.
Tales of Polynesia: Folktales from Hawai’i, New Zealand, Tahiti, and Samoa by Yiling Changues (illustrator)
Explore the enchanting world of Polynesian folklore in this beautifully illustrated collection of traditional stories.
A woman falls in love with the king of the sharks. Two powerful sorcerers compete in a battle of magical wits. The king of Maui’s fastest messenger races to bring a young woman back from the dead. In these traditional tales, the borders blur between life and death, reality and magic, and land and sea.
This volume includes legends from Hawai’i, New Zealand, Tahiti, and Samoa, showcasing the rich narrative tradition of the Polynesian islands. You’ll encounter awe-inspiring warriors, tricky magicians, and fearsome creatures of the deep. Each tale is paired with evocative contemporary art, creating a special illustrated edition to read, share, and treasure across generations.
POPULAR SERIES: The Tales series gives new life to traditional stories. Celebrating the richness of folklore around the world, and featuring the work of beloved contemporary illustrators, these books are treasured by adults and teens alike.
TALES THAT TRANSPORT YOU: These folktales are deeply rooted in the landscape of the Polynesian islands. Dramatic mountain peaks, secluded valleys, and mesmerizing ocean vistas offer striking settings for timeless stories of magic.
GORGEOUS SPECIAL EDITION: With a mesmerizing full-page illustration for each story, as well as creamy paper, a ribbon page marker, and a handsome hardcover design, this edition is perfect for gifting and display.
Perfect for: Adult, young adult, and teen fans of fairy tales, folklore, myths, legends, and history, Readers with Polynesian heritage or interested in Polynesian culture, Illustration and art lovers, Collectors of illustrated classics and such popular mythology books as D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths or Bulfinch’s Mythology, Fans of Moana, Fans of the illustrator Yiling Changues
How To Be a Rule Breaking Letterer: A Guide to Making Perfectly Imperfect Art by Huyen Dinh
Break the rules, embrace imperfection, and express your unique self through lettering art!
This book is for anyone who’s felt the pressure of perfection. As a schoolgirl in Vietnam and later in online lettering classes, Huyen Dinh was always told to perfect her penmanship. Instead, she started embracing her own imperfect style—with squiggly lines, cheeky messages, and pastel colors.
In this upbeat guidebook, Dinh walks you through the basic rules of lettering and then teaches you how to break them in clever and creative ways. She shares challenges and triumphs from her own artistic journey and offers inspiration as well as technical tips. You can use your new lettering skills to tell your personal story, support a cause you care about, or decorate your tote bags and sneakers! Fully illustrated in Dinh’s signature pastel palette, this book is the perfect companion for any aspiring creative.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ONE BOOK: This fresh and fun guide includes: Affirmations for a positive mindset, Lettering language 101, A step-by-step guide from brainstorming to finished art, Inspiration for telling your story through lettering, Fun DIY projects with how-to instructions, And much more.
MAKES LETTERING FUN: No need to sweat over creating technically perfect calligraphy. Instead, let this guidebook infuse your creative projects with fun. Lettering is a chance to explore your personal style and share your passions with the world.
EMPOWERING MESSAGE: By sharing her own story, Dinh offers inspiration for anyone who dreams of a creative career, especially other young Asian American women. This is an approachable and inclusive handbook for pursuing your artistic goals.
RISING STAR: Huyen Dinh’s refreshing honesty and irresistible illustration style have resonated with thousands of fans online. Her lettering art has graced murals, sweatshirts, magazine covers, and more. With this book, she welcomes anyone to join her in creating perfectly imperfect lettering.
Perfect for: Letterers, artists, and illustrators looking for a fun and practical resource, Students of all ages looking for a creative outlet, Casual creatives and hobbyists who love hand lettering, drawing with letters, and font, alphabet, and script design, Fashionistas who want to add personal flair to their accessories, Engaged couples doing hand-lettered DIY wedding invites, Pinterest addicts and bullet journaling enthusiasts seeking new letter design ideas and inspiration
Also, check out the Rule-Breaking Letterer’s Workbook!
Stuff Kids Should Know: The Mind-Blowing Histories of (Almost) Everything by Josh Clark and Check Bryant
WARNING: Contents of this book are cooler than they appear.
From the masterminds responsible for the beloved, award-winning podcast, Stuff You Should Know, comes a gut-busting and brain-bursting nonfiction book for young readers.
You know the deal. There’s Language Arts, Math, Science and History. You have the color-coded folders and notebooks; you know the material. The classic subjects. But why isn’t there a Stuff That Knocks Your Socks Off class, or Random Facts To Rock Your World?
Well, luckily, with Stuff Kids Should Know, an incomplete compendium of only the most interesting topics, you will find fascinating stories and facts that will melt your mind! From demolition derbies to Mr. Potato Head to the history of facial hair, this book is full of funny, surprising information that sparks curiosity and reveals the magic of knowledge.
For Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, the founders of the massively popular podcast Stuff You Should Know, the everyday world can be extraordinary when you dig a little deeper into the “whys” and the “hows”. With plenty of clever insights, silly illustrations, and an array of topics, this book digs deeper into stuff we all wish we knew more about. After all, who thought a rock would be a good idea for a pet? Well, let’s find out…
To Her Credit: Historic Achievements – And The Women Who Actually Made Them Happen by Kaitlin Culmo and Emily McDermott
There’s history as it’s told, and then there’s history as it actually happened. You may think you know the stories behind the world’s most well-known, groundbreaking achievements, but To Her Credit is here to make you reevaluate our collective story as it has been written. This book celebrates the stories of women, from ancient times until the 1990s, whose contributions have been overwritten and, far too often, accredited to men.
The pattern of female achievements being stolen, overwritten, or straight-up ignored is as old as time. Authors Kaitlin Culmo and Emily McDermott—with stunning art by Kezia Gabriella—reclaim the work of these deserving heroines and offer reminders of what we lose when we don’t question history as it has been written.
- We’re often told that Cervantes “invented fiction” with the novel Don Quixote in 17th century Europe, but what about Lady Murasaki’s The Tale of Genji in 11th-century Japan?
- Elvis Presley is widely considered as “The King” and—for all intents and purposes—the inventor of rock and roll music. But what about Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who was the first to engineer the rock and roll sound, or Big Mama Thornton, for whom the song “Hound Dog” was explicitly written?
- Albert Einstein is a household name and so too is his famed equation E = mc2. But what about his first wife, Mileva Marić, who not only helped with the Nobel Prize–winning discovery, but also collaborated with Albert throughout the pivotal early years of his career?
This book tells the stories of women who have been left out of history’s accolades. It’s time to talk about the thousands of years’ worth of art, inventions, innovations, and world-changing achievements made by women that have been ascribed to men.
Noon: Simple Recipes for Scrumptions Midday Meals and More by Meike Peters
Lunchtime is just as exciting as dinner in this delightful new cookbook that combines Meike Peters’s inventive and craveable recipes with gorgeous photography. These 115 recipes are guaranteed to perk up your day (or your dinner).
“Perfect for experienced cooks, who will relish Peters’s imaginative takes on classic dishes as well as her inspired original culinary creations, and those new to the kitchen, who will feel empowered by the clear, easy-to-follow format and welcoming tone of the recipes.” ―Library Journal, starred review
This bold new cookbook by James Beard Award–winning author and photographer Meike Peters invites us to indulge in simple, satisfying, and scrumptious meals to feed our midday cravings. With a few tricks and clever flavor combinations to keep your mind, body, and soul happy, Noon makes it easy to treat yourself throughout the day.
These 115 quick and creative recipes span vibrant salads and sandwiches, cozy pastas, and savory tarts, as well as warming soups, speedy schnitzels, and Mediterranean seafood treats. Whether you’re in the mood for the mouthwatering Autumn Salad with Jerusalem Artichokes, Walnuts, and Apples, a texturally intoxicating Carrot and Pear Salad with Tahini and Sesame Seeds, or the surprising zip of Sauerkraut and Hummus on Sourdough Bread, this book has your taste buds covered.
Attainable yet crave-worthy, the recipes in Noon can equally suit the start, middle, or end of your day. Our lives have changed, and these recipes flexibly fit any reality, from working from home or lunch at the office to leisurely weekend lunches with friends. Noon is about a pause, no matter when you need it. With year-round recipes and stunning photography, this book will keep you well fed and happy at any time of day.
DELICOUS FOOD: Meike Peters is a truly talented recipe developer and food blogger who puts a unique twist on her dishes, such as Lime Mussels with Zucchini and Cilantro, Peach and Plum Caprese with Burrata, and Rösti (Swiss potato cake) with Pistachio-Feta Dip. With a similar vibe to Diana Henry, Nigella Lawson, and Heidi Swanson, she is a delight to learn from and be inspired by.
GREAT VALUE: This book is packed with 115 recipes and 120 photos at an affordable price, making it an excellent self-purchase or thoughtful cooking gift.
MODERN LUNCH COOKBOOK: Years into the pandemic, we are all sick of the same lunch from home options. This book is perfect for anyone needing to whip up a great lunch in fifteen minutes or less, or for the many returning to work and needing inspiration for super tasty lunches to take with us.
FLEXIBLE & EASILY SCALABLE RECIPES: The focus is on celebrating a midday meal (a.k.a. lunch), but the recipes work just as well for dinner, weekdays, or weekends; each recipe can easily be scaled up or down.
Perfect for: Those looking for fun and fresh alternatives for their lunchtime meal, Fans of Meike Peters, her blog and podcast, and her previous cookbooks, Anyone who loves celebrity chefs like Heidi Swanson, Diana Henry, and Nigella Lawson , Birthday, holiday, housewarming, or hostess gift for foodies or home cooks.
Bountiful Cooking: Wholesome Everyday Meals to Nourish You and Your Family by Agatha Achindu
I want you to close your eyes as you hold this book in your hands and understand that it is yours to create magic, to reinvent yourself in the kitchen in ways you never thought possible. It doesn’t matter if you weren’t raised in a home with skilled cooks or entrenched in healthy food traditions as I was. It doesn’t matter if you have no culinary experience at all. I am sharing my kitchen, my mami’s kitchen, my grandma’s bare-bones, gadget-free kitchen that produced the healthiest, most mouthwatering meals. This book you are holding—full of recipes, knowledge, life stories, and tips I share with my own family and clients—is an extension of who I am. I hope it helps and brings you joy, too.
–from the Introduction
When Agatha Achindu came to the US from Cameroon, West Africa, for university, she didn’t know what to make of the aisles and aisles of canned foods in the grocery store. She started making meals with fresh ingredients for her roommate; after her first community dinner for fifty fellow students, word spread. Fast-forward thirty years: What started as small dinners and workshops teaching moms how to make nutritious meals blossomed into a career dedicated to helping families live life unprocessed, and eat flavorful, nutrient‑dense foods that can help prevent chronic disease and other food-related health concerns. No matter what Agatha does, her dishes are always based on one fundamental principle she learned from her mami: You are what you eat. Throughout her career, she has shared this ethos: for each and every person–no matter their age, background, or locale–to grow and thrive without the daily aggravation and hardship (and expense!) of preventable chronic diseases. Agatha has been on an unrelenting mission to make families and communities healthier, to live a life that is bursting with vibrant energy, age gracefully and in good health. It is never too late to start eating food that will nourish our body, mind and soul.
Bountiful Cooking celebrates these matrilineal culinary philosophies with 100 recipes packed with life-giving nutrients. Not only are these recipes healthy, but with global flavors, they also serve as cultural nutrition for the whole family. Agatha’s recipes will make you fall in love with food–and recognize that food, a sacred source of life and feeding, is the highest expression of love.
Piecemeal: A Meal-Planning Repertoire with 120 Recipes to Make in 5+, 15+, or 30+ Minutes by Kathryn Pauline
A new meals-in-minutes cookbook from recipe developer, photographer, and blogger Kathryn Pauline! Based on the idea that one go-to component can anchor several meals, Piecemeal is designed to help a busy home cook prepare delicious meals simply, in 5+, 15+, or 30+ minutes.
This strategy-based cookbook features recipes for 30 transformational components—such as grilled corn, turkey meatballs, tzatziki, roasted grapes—each used in three different ways, for a total of 120 delicious and adaptable recipes. The featured components were selected for maximum performance: each is flavorful, storable, and versatile and can stand alone or be used in multiple ways.
Piecemeal presents a way for cooks to create a flexible repertoire of meals without doing a ton of work at one time. Prepare the component when you have some time, then use it to enhance or center meals throughout the week, even on your most hectic evenings. The three recipes that pair with each component are fully prepared, from start to finish, in as little as 5 minutes and no more than 1 hour (for a project recipe with a bit more prep).
With Pauline’s gorgeous photographs accompanying each of its smart, strategic, and delicious recipes, Piecemeal is, at its core, a master course in culinary riffing.
ULTRA-ADAPTABLE WEEKNIGHT COOKING: Here are flexible recipes to provide flavor and ease to weeknight meals, and teach a home cook how to riff, build flavor, and cook creatively. With 30 component recipes to mold into whatever you’re craving that day and have on hand, Piecemeal proves that good food can be produced quickly and efficiently even on the nights you’re working late.
GREAT VALUE: With 120 go-to recipes and 100 vibrant photographs, plus instructions and formulas that enable readers to experiment and customize their menu to complement what’s in their fridge, this cookbook is a weeknight workhorse that will provide year-round inspiration.
COOKING AT HOME MADE EASY: These are the kinds of recipes that people actually cook on a regular basis—easy weekday staples such as salads, tacos, jazzy pasta dishes—but with deep flavors and creative flavor combinations. Taking an accessible approach to weeknight cooking, Piecemeal will appeal to home cooks of all ages and skill-levels who are looking for unexpected, tasty weeknight recipes.
Perfect for: Beginner cooks who want to master a few staple dishes, Home cooks of all skill-levels looking for a repertoire of easy, creative weeknight recipes, Amateur chefs interested in updated basics, People looking for fresh ways to cook through their groceries, Birthday, holiday, or housewarming gift for foodies or kitchen newbie.
The Jewish Deli: An Illustrated Guide To The Chosen Food by Ben Nadler
A delightful celebration of Jewish delicatessens in an accessible comics format, full of history and humor, and guaranteed to make you hungry.
Beloved culinary and cultural institutions, Jewish delis are wonderlands of amazing flavors and great food—bright, buttery, briny, sweet, fatty, salty, smoky. . . . In The Jewish Deli, comics artist and deli aficionado Ben Nadler takes a deliciously entertaining deep dive into the history and culture of this food and the places that serve it up to us across the counter. Chapters guide readers through the details and delights of each major food category, all playfully illustrated and each more irresistibly noshable than the last, including: Meat, Fish, Bagels and bread, Schmears, Soups and sides, Sweets, and Drinks.
A visual treat, this accessible and informative nonfiction graphic novel delivers stories of tradition and innovation, celebrations of iconic menu staples, flavor profiles, food preparations, ordering advice, spotlights on legendary and up-and-coming delis, and much more.
DELICIOUS HISTORY: The history of a people is found in its food, and in this book! Trace the history of Jewish cuisine from ancient days to the birth of the modern deli as we know and love it now.
DESTINATION DINING: When this book makes you hungry, plan a visit to one of the sensational North American delis featured in its pages, including Manhattan’s Kenny and Ziggy’s, Montreal’s Schwartz’s, Atlanta’s The General Muir, Brooklyn’s Shalom Japan, and many more
FOR FOODIES AND FOLKS ALIKE: Nadler shares colorful, researched stories of deli food, preparations, traditions, and innovations that entertain and inform, whether you’re a deli expert or just find yourself wondering where bagels (or babka, or matzo ball soup, or the Reuben) come from.
FUN COMICS STYLE: Fans of Relish: My Life in the Kitchen and Cook Korean: A Comic Book with Recipes will love Ben Nadler’s fresh and colorful illustrated approach to the food and culture of the Jewish deli.
Perfect for: The ultimate gift for foodies, deli devotees, and anyone hungry for more culinary knowledge, Jewish history and culture buffs, A must-have resource for all who love Jewish customs, cooking, and comedy, Pairing with Jewish foods or cookbooks for birthday, bar or bat mitzvah, Chanukah, or Passover hostess gifts, Fans of nonfiction comics and graphic novels
Where Is Anne Frank by Ari Folman
A new graphic novel that brings to life Kitty, Anne Frank’s imaginary friend to whom she addressed her diary—from the same creative team that produced the international bestselling and award-winning Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation
It’s the middle of the night at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, and a magnificent thunderbolt has just struck the building and shattered the protective glass case in which the most famous diary in history is displayed. Magically, Anne’s imaginary friend, Kitty, comes to life. At first Kitty doesn’t know that seventy-five years have passed, and she has no clue as to why Anne is not in the house or what has become of the seven other inhabitants of the Secret Annex.
When Kitty learns that Anne and her beloved sister Margot have died in the war, she decides to run away from the house, and follow the path of the sisters all the way to where they met their fatal end. Kitty, who soon realizes that she cannot exist without Anne, decides to steal the diary from the museum and starts her journey.
Kitty recounts the complete story of Anne Frank’s life, family, and diary from her own unique perspective. In the present day Kitty’s adventures bring her in contact with the refugee crisis in Europe, from which she discovers the true meaning of Anne Frank’s legacy.
Dinnertime SOS: 100 Sanity Saving Meals Parents and Kids of All Ages Will Actually Want To Eat by Amy Palanjian
You rush home from work, tired but looking forward to sharing a meal with your family. You’re short on energy—but you need to pick a recipe, chop and prep ingredients, and tend to the kids. How are you supposed to juggle these responsibilities and make a meal that everyone at your table actually wants to eat?
Enter Dinnertime SOS, a collection of super-fast, accessible, and delicious family meals that appeal to both kids and parents. As the founder of Yummy Toddler Food and a nationally recognized expert on feeding families well, Amy Palanjian is here to help customize meals for even the pickiest of eaters, sharing recipes the whole family can enjoy together. This is your playbook to make the most of your limited time in the kitchen, embrace quality shortcuts, and ditch the guilt.
With recipes that are all super-fast—we’re talking twenty minutes max—or that can be prepped ahead of time and thrown into the oven, slow cooker or Instant Pot, you’ll find everything you need to prepare healthy meals on a budget from a trusted source. Nourishing weeknight dinners include Broccoli Mac and Cheese, Flatbread Pizzas, Slow Cooker Chicken Sandwiches, Instant Pot Burrito Bowls, and the Ultimate Family Charcuterie Board.
This is the cookbook that parents with little kids have been waiting for. With strategies to cut down on cooking time, healthy shortcuts, and meal planning tips, Dinnertime SOS shares tried-and-true cooking advice and recipes to help parents win dinnertime.
Wear It Well: Reclaim Your Closet and Rediscover The Joy of Getting Dressed by Allison Bornstein
Define your style and use fashion as a tool for self-discovery using the Three-Word Method and AB Closet-Editing System.
Personal stylist Allison Bornstein has mastered the art of helping people look good and feel good. In Wear It Well, she shares her philosophy and outlines systems that will bring your style into alignment and create a wardrobe that delights your spirit and reflects your most authentic self.
Use the viral Three-Word Method to discover and define your personal style. Curate your closet with the AB Closet-Editing System, eliminating items that don’t fit or work for your lifestyle to build a safe and inspiring space that is filled with only clothes that bring you joy, confidence, and empowerment. Create new, sustainable looks by shopping your closet and mixing and matching with the Nine Universal Pieces.
Filled with client stories, gentle guidance, and expressive photography, Wear It Well will inspire you to identify, articulate, and develop your personal style, and dress with ease.
UNIQUE BLEND OF WELLNESS, SELF-CARE, AND FASHION: The only “Joy of Dressing” book there is: no other book merges fashion, wellness, and self-care. In a time when many of us are at home or beginning to venture back out professionally or socially, this book will help take away the stress and anxiety around dressing. It is also a refreshing take on self-care that can easily be added to morning routines.
A PROVEN PROGRAM: The AB Closet Editing System and Three Word Method are simple ways to organize your closet and your mind that Bornstein has successfully used with hundreds of clients.
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO BODY POSITIVITY: Wear It Well discusses how to combat and banish the voices of shame that permeate fashion culture and our own heads when we buy clothing. This will appeal to readers passionate about body positivity, and fans of The Body Is Not An Apology, Body Talk, and More Than A Body.
PROMOTES SUSTAINABLE FASHION: Bornstein’s program is based on shopping our closets rather than going out to buy an all-new wardrobe. She demonstrates how to choose ten versatile pieces to mix and match within our wardrobe. She also encourages readers to donate “never going to wear” clothes and to dress intentionally.
Perfect for: Fashion and style enthusiasts interested in capsule wardrobes and intentional styling, Followers of home organization, decluttering, and hygge trends, Women and men who simultaneously hate and love getting dressed, Young professionals, new moms, and women over 50 looking to redefine their style, Anyone interested in sprucing up their closet or establishing new personal care habits, Practitioners of body positivity, Self-purchase or thoughtful gift for anyone seeking inspiration for self-care, happiness, wellness, and stress relief
Graze: Inspiration For Small Plates and Meandering Meals by Suzanne Lenzer
An accessible, mouthwatering collection of more than 80 recipes for small bites, tapas, and charcuterie spreads
“Graze is the most useful cookbook I’ve seen in a long time. It’s perfect for the way we eat now: simple food, big platters, big flavors.”—Diana Henry, author of Simple: Effortless Food, Big Flavours
Grazing is an enchanting way to eat. It means skipping from dish to dish, tasting different things without committing to a single one. It’s about creating multiple dishes that work together as a meal, that all share a theme, an aesthetic. When she entertains, or even pulls together a quick dinner for just two, food stylist Suzanne Lenzer enjoys this tapas-style of eating—and with her guidance, you can too.
In Graze, chapters are organized by level of involvement, from simply slicing veggies (“Mostly Chopping”) to cooking up lavish spreads (“Worth the Effort”). Whip up fast and easy Prosciutto, Asparagus, and Arugula Rolls and Three-Tomato Panzanella on a busy weeknight or indulge in Flaky Cheddar Biscuits with Heirloom Tomatoes and Peaches, Shredded Potato Cakes with Ramps, and Lemon-Tarragon Chicken Skewers on the weekend. And to finish off the meal, try desserts like Brown Butter Brownies and Lemon-Lavender Posset.
Making delicious, beautiful dishes and snacks for grazing, whether for two or twelve, doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. With simple, no-nonsense tips on how to stock your pantry, sample menus, and easy-to-modify recipes, Graze is the ultimate resource for preparing healthy, wholesome, and appetizing food without spending hours in the kitchen.
Veg-Table: Recipes, Techniques, and Plant Science fr Big-Flavored, Vegetable-Focused Meals by Nik Sharma
Named a Best Cookbook of Fall 2023 by Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Eater, The Strategist, The Los Angeles Times, Good Housekeeping, and more, and a Best Cookbook of the Year by Epicurious.
From the bestselling author of The Flavor Equation and Season and winner of the 2023 IACP Trailblazer Award: A fascinating exploration of the unique wonders of more than fifty vegetables through captivating research, stunning photography, and technique-focused recipes.
“Groundbreaking, inspiring, delicious: Nik Sharma’s Veg-Table is everything I’d hoped for and more!”—Nigella Lawson, author of Cook, Eat, Repeat
Nik Sharma, blogger at A Brown Table, Serious Eats columnist, and bestselling cookbook author, brings us his most cookable collection of recipes yet in Veg-table. Here is a technique-focused repertoire for weeknight mains for cooks of all skill levels looking to add more delicious and satisfying vegetable dishes to their diet.
Combining the scientific underpinnings of The Flavor Equation with the inviting and personal recipes of Season, this book features more than fifty vegetables, revealing their origins, biology, and unique characteristics. Vegetable-focused recipes are organized into chapters by plant family, with storage, buying, and cooking methods for all. The result is a recipe collection of big flavors and techniques that are tried, true, and perfected by rigorous testing and a deep scientific lens.
Included here are Sharma’s first-ever pasta recipes published in a cookbook: Pasta with Broccoli Miso Sauce, Shallot and Spicy Mushroom Pasta, and more. And vegetable-focused doesn’t mean strictly vegetarian; bring plants and animal protein together with delicious recipes like Chicken Katsu with Poppy Seed Coleslaw and Crispy Salmon with Green Curry Spinach. A wide variety of hot and cold soups, salads, sides, sauces, and rice-, egg-, and bean-based dishes round out this collection.
Featuring more than 100 of Sharma’s gorgeous and evocative photographs, as well as instructive illustrations, this cookbook perfectly balances beauty, intellect, and delicious, achievable recipes.
FOLLOW-UP TO TWO CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BOOKS: Season was a finalist for a James Beard Award and an IACP award. It was on the most prominent cookbook best-of lists, including the New York Times Best Cookbooks, NPR’s Favorite Cookbooks, and Bon Appetit’s Best Cookbooks gift guide; it was also an Amazon Book of the Month. The Flavor Equation was named one of the best cookbooks of the year by the New York Times, Eater, Epicurious, Food & Wine, Forbes, Saveur, Serious Eats, Smithsonian magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, CNN Travel, The Kitchn, Chowhound, NPR, The Art of Eating 2021 longlist and many more; plus it garnered international media attention including from the Financial Times, the Globe and Mail, The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent, The Times (U.K.), Delicious Magazine (U.K.), The Times (Ireland), and Vogue India. It was the winner of the Guild of U.K. Food Writers (General Cookbook). It was a finalist for the 2021 IACP Cookbook Award.
AN ESTABLISHED AUTHOR: Sharma is a regular contributor to the popular Serious Eats food platform, where his pieces on the science of flavor reach millions of readers nationwide.
UNIQUE YET ACCESSIBLE VEGGIE-FORWARD RECIPES: Not only does Sharma write recipes for every palate, but he writes them for every level of cook, from novices to seasoned chefs. This book melds his science-forward thinking with accessible yet delicious vegetable-based recipes for an engaging and unexpected combination.
Perfect for: Fans of Nik Sharma, Season, and The Flavor Equation, Vegetarians and flexitarians, Those looking to add more plants to their diet, Home cooks looking for a new challenge who are interested in learning more about food and flavor, Birthday, holiday, housewarming, or graduation gift for food enthusiasts, Fans of The Food Lab, The Flavor Bible, and Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Readers who like the diverse, modern approach to ethnic food found in publications like Lucky Peach, Indian-ish, and Koreatown
On This Day In History Sh!t Went Down by James Fell
The hilarious, irreverent guide to world history you never knew you needed, featuring 366 profanity-filled tales of triumph and terror, science and stupidity, courage and cowardice
Those who cannot remember the past . . . need a history teacher who says “f*ck” a lot.
Nazis are bad. The worst kind of bad. There are no very fine people among them. If you disagree, you won’t like this book.
Still here? Cool. You are about to receive an education unlike any you’ve previously experienced. In this uproarious and informative tour from ancient times to the modern day and everything in between, James Fell, the self-proclaimed “sweary historian,” reveals a past replete with deeds both noble and despicable. Throughout the book, he provides insightful analysis of all the sh!t that went down. Behold!
• In 1927, actress Mae West was sent to jail for “corrupting the morals of youth” with her first Broadway play, titled Sex. She served the time and followed up with a play about homosexuality.
• In 1419, church reformers in Prague, vexed over their leader having been burned at the stake, defenestrated city leaders from a high window. They died, because those kinds of Czechs don’t bounce.
• If you were in the province of Shaanxi in China on January 23, 1556, then it sucked to be you. It wasn’t the biggest earthquake ever, but it was the deadliest day in history.
• In 362 B.C.E., a battle between Greek city states debilitated both sides, making the region ripe for conquering by Phillip of Macedon—aka Alex the Great’s dad—and spelling the end of Greek democracy.
• In 1343, the husband of noblewoman Jeanne de Clisson was unjustly executed by the king of France. Furious, Jeanne became a pirate, selling all her possessions to fund a fleet and exact revenge.
• During World War II, three Dutch teens used their beauty to lure Nazis into the forest with the promise of a good time, then out came the guns and BLAM! They sent them off to Nazi hell.
If reading history doesn’t make you want to swear like a mom with a red-wine hangover walking barefoot through a LEGO-filled living room, then you’re not reading the right history. Across the ages, over 100 billion humans have lived and died. Some were motivated by greed, others by generosity. Many dedicated themselves to the art of killing, while others were focused on curing. There have been grave mistakes, and moments of greatness. And that is why . . . sh!t happens. Every day.
The Presidents Decoded: A Guide To The Leaders Who Shaped Our Nation by Katie Kennedy
Ever wonder what the President does? Meet the 45* people who have held the job in this important book that showcases how they each led the country in their time—and features their own thoughts and words through their documents, letters, diaries, speeches and so much more.
Some call it the most important job in the world. It’s certainly the most powerful. And it’s one that every citizen needs to know about because we’re the ones who vote to put a president in office. Lively, informative, filled with firsts and facts, big ideas and compelling anecdotes, The Presidents Decoded, is a richly layered guide to the leaders who have shaped our nation.
Featuring over 125 primary sources–including documents, speeches, letters, executive orders and diaries–each leader’s time in office is broken down and explained to show the what, how and why of our leaders’ thoughts, decisions and policies. Familiar documents like the preamble of the Declaration of Independence, The Emancipation Proclamation, and The Fugitive Slave Act — the part of the Compromise of 1850 that set the country on a path to Civil War — are included. But there’s also George Washington’s letter to Martha as he learns that he’s been chosen to be the General of the Continental Army, a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt from a desperate family during the Great Depression, a letter from baseball legend Jackie Robinson urging John F. Kennedy to do more for civil rights, and the Executive Order limiting the hours of the federal work day, and so many more. Full-color illustrations bring each president and their time in office to life on the page in their career-defining moments as history marches forward and changes the job — and our way of life — through inventions like the camera, the telephone, the first metal detector, services like the Navy and the Red Cross, and the rise of social media platforms like Twitter.
As she did in The Constitution Decoded, Katie Kennedy shines a light on American History, this time through the lens of the leaders who shaped our nation.
(*Very clever of you to catch this! the number is off by 1 because Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and the 24th president!)
Which of these books would you want for yourself or to gift to someone?